Muhammara Sauce
Aleppo peppers are grown in Syria and can be easily found in Middle Eastern markets and spice shops. Emblematic of Levantine cuisine, they are mild, fruity and truly special for many uses. Pomegranate molasses adds a tart and sweet touch. If not available, lemon juice is a good substitute.
Ingredients
- 6 large red bell peppers
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- ½ tablespoon ground Aleppo pepper or ground guajillo pepper
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven or broiler to 400º F.
- Coat bell peppers with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning as necessary to char the skin. Add garlic and bake for an additional 20 minutes more or until the peppers are evenly charred and garlic is roasted and soft.
- Place peppers in a bowl and cover with foil, allow to cool enough to peel and seed them. Place cleaned peppers in a food processor with garlic, walnuts, cumin, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, salt and remaining olive oil.
- Process to a uniform but chunky consistency. Serve topped with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds and, if desired, a drizzle of olive oil.
About the author
Analuisa Béjar loves exploring flavor routes as the chef at her Sunny Bakery Cafe in Carmel Valley. She is a recent transplant from Mexico City, where she was a food critic, award-winning writer, editor, recipe developer, culinary teacher and organizer of Latin American gastronomy competitions.
